


Leaving a Mark

by quiet__tiger



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Drama, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 10:34:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10852197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet__tiger/pseuds/quiet__tiger
Summary: Dick and Tim take care of business.





	Leaving a Mark

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "Remembrance."
> 
> Originally posted to Livejournal 4th-Jun-2013.

“This is… I thought _Bruce_ was the obsessive one.” Tim scrolled through the document, the scroll bar a tiny strip on the side.

“You know Bruce. Plan after plan, contingency after contingency, everything perfect for every possible variable. If you can’t beat him, join him; I wanted to have an excuse for any possible death ready in case the police asked. Never get caught off-guard by the press.”

“But what are the odds of death by Smilex? Bruce doesn’t shop where normal consumers do.”

“Slightly higher than the death by fear toxin, but Crane could get him and no one would ever know. Need to make sure people don’t put fear toxin or Smilex and Batman into the same sentence as Bruce Wayne. So, both through packages delivered to the Manor. It’s harder coming up with deaths to explain any strange injuries or circumstances. No matter how tightly sealed, records and coffins can be opened.”

Tim scrolled further. “I like this one for impaled by wall spikes—‘Bruce was practicing jousting on a homemade rig that malfunctioned.’” _Scroll, scroll_. “’Shrapnel to the heart, from a secret applied sciences demonstration gone awry.’ You read too many comic books. And his armor would protect him.”

“Not if he were stripped.”

“Sewer gators is the best you could come up with for death-by-Croc-bite?”

“I can’t guarantee I’d be able to fake a trip to Florida.”

“Potter’s wheel malfunction?”

“In case Clayface gets lucky.”

“Well, I suppose Bruce would be proud of you, for thinking ahead.” Tim smiled sadly, and minimized the window. He and Dick were going to use the reason for Bruce’s death that was about three quarters of the way through the document. “You didn’t have to work too hard on this one.”

“Honestly never thought I’d use it. Clearly it didn’t occur to me until years into my project.”

Back upstairs, reporters lined the great foyer of Wayne Manor, awaiting the press conference. Dick stepped to the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re all aware of why we’re gathered here today. I for one never truly thought I’d stand before you and relay the information I am about to; it’s always seemed impossible to me that Bruce Wayne could be taken from us like this. But yes, I confirm that yesterday Bruce Wayne succumbed to heart failure due to old age and passed away in his sleep. He lived a long, impressive life and touched countless people, and I will miss him more than anyone could know. He saw more in me than a scared, angry boy, and I will always see more in him than the face he showed the world, even in his final days. I wish for all of you to remember good times he shared, and bad times in which he tried to help.”

Tim watched from the side, sadness mixing with pride. Bruce had worked hard, all the way to the end. Gotham would remember him for a long time.


End file.
